EQUIPPING PARENTS, CAREGIVERS
Parents and caregivers can also make a real difference at home, according to social service agency AWWA.
“We often find that parents who are able to consistently carry out intervention strategies outside of the early intervention setting will often see their kids have greater and quicker progress in their development,” said Mr Ngoh Yi Rui, therapy head at AWWA Early Intervention Centre at Fernvale Woods.
This is because of the opportunities such parents have to practise these skills in their natural environment, such as at home and in the community, he added.
The government plans to test out a training programme for caregivers at home later this year.
However, the challenge is to get busy working parents to carve out time for this, said experts.
“The early years of a child’s development is critical because of something that we call neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change, adapt and grow neural networks,” said Mr Ngoh.
“It is in fact during the first few years of life, where there is the highest level of plasticity, which means that that’s the time where the brain is the most flexible in responding to changes through the experiences that we have.
“Early intervention … capitalises on this by providing children with developmental needs the appropriate level of support that they require at a time where there is a greater chance of reaching their potential, and these early experiences actually do help lay the foundation for future learning.”
SG Enable, which provides referrals to early intervention centres, said communication is critical to support parents, and that everyone directly involved in a child’s care must play a part for early intervention to work.
There needs to be “a very good, tight communication line” between the therapists, parents, and other social services that are supporting parents, said Ms Siti.
“From a caregiver support perspective, we would want to support the parents with information, with skills and what they can do, and also support them through the process.”
